Forming spacer for trench epitaxial structures

ABSTRACT

The disclosure relates to a structure and methods of forming spacers for trench epitaxial structures. The method includes: forming a spacer material between source and drain regions of respective first-type gate structures and second-type gate structures; growing source and drain material about the first-type gate structures, confined within an area defined by the spacer material; and growing source and drain material about the second-type gate structures, confined within an area defined by the spacer material.

BACKGROUND

The invention relates to semiconductor structures and, moreparticularly, to structure and methods of forming spacers for trenchepitaxial structures.

As semiconductor devices become smaller, spacing between gate structurescontinue to shrink in scale. In finFET technologies, for example, the Nto P fin to fin spacing is becoming very narrow in static random accessmemory (SRAM) as well as other devices. This narrow spacing can lead toshorting of the source and drain regions of the gate structures of thesedifferent devices due to epitaxial (epi) overgrowth when forming thedrain and source regions. Accordingly, the N-type epi and the P-typeepic can short each other.

SUMMARY

In an aspect of the invention, a method includes: forming a spacermaterial between source and drain regions of respective first-type gatestructures and second-type gate structures; growing source and drainmaterial about the first-type gate structures, confined within an areadefined by the spacer material; and growing source and drain materialabout the second-type gate structures, confined within an area definedby the spacer material.

In an aspect of the invention, a method includes: forming first type ofgate structures and second type of gate structures; forming a spacer onsidewalls of the first type of gate structures and the second type ofgate structures; and forming a low-k dielectric spacer material definingtrenches for source and drain regions of the first type of gatestructures and the second type of gate structures which confinesepitaxial source and drain material from shorting between the adjacentones of the first type of gate structures and the second type of gatestructures.

In an aspect of the invention, a structure includes: a plurality ofp-type finFET devices; a plurality of n-type finFET devices; and a low-kdielectric spacer material defining trenches for source and drainregions of the plurality of p-type finFET devices and the plurality ofn-type finFET devices and which confines epitaxial source and drainmaterial from shorting between adjacent ones of the plurality of p-typefinFET devices and the plurality of n-type finFET devices due a spacingof fins.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention is described in the detailed description whichfollows, in reference to the noted plurality of drawings by way ofnon-limiting examples of exemplary embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 1 shows a beginning structure and respective fabrication processesin accordance with aspects of the invention.

FIG. 2 shows additional fabrication processing steps and a respectivestructure in accordance with aspects of the invention.

FIG. 3 shows additional fabrication processing steps and a respectivestructure in accordance with aspects of the invention.

FIGS. 4A and 4B show the formation of a spacer material between fins ofan NFET and PFET side of a structure, amongst other features, inaccordance with aspects of the invention, with FIG. 4B representing across-sectional view of FIG. 4A.

FIGS. 5A and 5B show the formation of epitaxially grown source/drainregions, amongst other features, in accordance with aspects of theinvention, with FIG. 5B representing a cross-sectional view of FIG. 5A.

FIG. 6 shows additional fabrication processing steps and respectivestructure in accordance with aspects of the invention.

FIGS. 7A and 7B show the formation of epitaxially grown source/drainregions, amongst other features, in accordance with aspects of theinvention, with FIG. 7B representing a cross-sectional view of FIG. 7A.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The invention relates to semiconductor structures and, moreparticularly, to structures and methods of forming spacers for trenchepitaxial structures. In embodiments, the methods described herein canbe used to form equal CMOS spacer thickness for trench epitaxialstructures. The methods described herein can be implemented in a finFETgate last process, e.g., replacement metal gate process, or a finFETfirst gate process. Moreover, the methods described herein can beimplemented in many different technologies, including but not limited,to planar gate technologies and extremely thinsemiconductor-on-insulator (ETSOI) FET technologies, amongst others. Themethods described herein can also be implemented with any elementalsemiconductor materials (e.g., silicon, germanium, carbon, or alloysthereof), III-V semiconductor materials, or II-VI semiconductormaterials, as examples.

The structures described herein can be manufactured in a number of waysusing a number of different tools. In general, though, the methodologiesand tools are used to form structures with dimensions in the micrometerand nanometer scale. The methodologies, i.e., technologies, employed tomanufacture the structures of the present invention have been adoptedfrom integrated circuit (IC) technology. For example, the structures ofthe present invention are built on wafers and are realized in films ofmaterial patterned by photolithographic processes on the top of a wafer.In particular, the fabrication of the structures of the presentinvention uses three basic building blocks: (i) deposition of thin filmsof material on a substrate, (ii) applying a patterned mask on top of thefilms by photolithographic imaging, and (iii) etching the filmsselectively to the mask.

FIG. 1 shows a structure and respective fabrication processes inaccordance with aspects of the invention. In particular, the structure 5of FIG. 1 shows a plurality of fins 15, 15′. In exemplary embodiments,the fin 15 can be used with NFET devices; whereas, the fin 15′ can beused with PFET devices. The fins 15, 15′ can be formed fromsemiconductor material such as, e.g., elemental semiconductor materials(e.g., silicon, germanium, carbon, or alloys thereof), III-Vsemiconductor materials, or II-VI semiconductor materials, as examples.The fins 15, 15′ can be formed on an insulator material such as a buriedoxide layer 10 of a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrate.

In embodiments, the fins 15, 15′ can be formed using conventionallithography and etching processes. For example, the fins 15, 15′ can beformed using a sidewall image transfer (SIT) technique. In the SITtechnique, for example, a mandrel material, e.g., SiO₂, is deposited onthe semiconductor material using conventional chemical vapor deposition(CVD) processes. A resist is formed on the mandrel material, and exposedto light to form a pattern (openings). A reactive ion etching isperformed through the openings to form the mandrels. In embodiments, themandrels can have different widths and/or spacing depending on thedesired dimensions between the fins 15, 15′. Spacers are formed on thesidewalls of the mandrels which are preferably material that isdifferent than the mandrels, and which are formed using conventionaldeposition processes known to those of skill in the art. The spacers canhave a width which matches the dimensions of the fins 15, 15′, forexample. The mandrels are removed or stripped using a conventionaletching process, selective to the mandrel material. An etching is thenperformed within the spacing of the spacers to form the sub-lithographicfeatures, e.g., fins 15, 15′. The sidewall spacers can then be strippedusing conventional stripping process, e.g., oxygen ashing.

Still referring to FIG. 1, a gate dielectric material 20 is blanketdeposited on the fins 15, 15′ using conventional deposition methods. Inembodiments, the gate dielectric material 20 can be different materialsdepending on the processes, e.g., gate first or gate last processes, ordesired device parameters. For example, the gate dielectric material 20can be a high-k dielectric material, e.g., HfO₂, in a gate firstprocess, deposited prior to the source/drain formation processes.Alternatively, in a gate last process, the gate dielectric material 20can be oxide, deposited after the source/drain formation processes. Inany of the embodiments, the gate dielectric material 20 can be depositedto a thickness of about 2 nm to about 5 nm for a gate pitch of less than80 nm; although other dimensions are also contemplated by the presentinvention.

Gate structures 25 with a capping layer 30 are formed over the gatedielectric material 20. The gate structures 25 with capping layer 30 areformed by blanket deposition of gate material on the gate dielectricmaterial 20, followed by blanket deposition of a capping material. Inembodiments, the gate material can be amorphous silicon or any othergate material, and the capping material can be nitride material.Following the deposition processes, a conventional lithography andetching processes is performed to pattern the gate structures 25 eachwith a capping layer 30. In embodiments, the gate structures 25 with thecapping layer 30 can be formed with a single lithography exposure,double patterning (e.g., lithography, etch, lithography etch, orlithography, lithography and etch) or SIT process, as examples.

A spacer 35 of low-k dielectric material, e.g., nitride, is blanketdeposited on the sidewalls of the gate structures 25 and over each ofthe capping layer 30. The spacer 35 can also be formed from SiN, SiO₂,SiOCN, SiBCN, or any low-K material (K<6). The deposition process of thelow-k dielectric material 35 can be, e.g., atomic layer deposition (ALD)or CVD. The spacer 35 can undergo an optional etching process (e.g.,reactive ion etching (RIE) to remove material from the upper surface ofthe capping layer 30 and the gate dielectric material 20. The spacer 35can have a thickness of about 5 Å to about 6 Å for a gate pitch of 80nm; although other dimensions are also contemplated by the presentinvention.

As shown in FIG. 2, a capping material 40 is deposited on the spacermaterial 35 and exposed surfaces of the capping layer 30 and the gatedielectric material 20. In embodiments, the capping layer 30 can be alow-k dielectric material such as nitride material or an oxide material,deposited using an ALD process. The capping material 40 can be depositedto a thickness of about 2 nm to 5 nm; although other dimensions are alsocontemplated by the present invention.

Still referring to FIG. 2, a sacrificial fill material 45 is depositedover the capping material, followed by a chemical mechanical polishing(CMP) process to expose the capping material 40 on the top of thecapping layer 30. In embodiments, the sacrificial fill material 45 isamorphous silicon (a-Si). As alternative options, the sacrificial fillmaterial 45 can be a high-k protective layer, nitride or a combinationof high-k dielectric material and nitride and then a-Si. As furtheralternative options, the sacrificial fill material 45 can be amorphouscarbon (a-Carbon) and a low temperature epitaxial material, or hightemperature containing material. In yet further alternative embodiments,the sacrificial fill material 45 can be ash a-Carbon selective to Si orSiGe, with a deposition of low temperature oxide or nitride.

FIG. 3 shows a source/drain patterning for both PFET and NFET devices.In embodiments, the source/drain patterning comprises removing thesacrificial fill material 45 between the NFET and PFET devices. Thisetching process comprises a conventional lithography and etching processsuch that further explanation is not needed for one of ordinary skill inthe art to understand the present invention. In this etching process,the capping material 40 can act as an etch stop.

Referring now to FIGS. 4A and 4B, spacer material 50 is formed on thecapping material 40 and other exposed areas of the structure, e.g.,source and drain regions of adjacent PFET and NFET devices 15, 15′. Asshould be understood by those of skill in the art, the spacer material50 will prevent epitaxial overgrowth from wrapping around the gatestructures 25 and shorting source to drain regions between the PFET andNFET devices, even with narrow fin to fin spacing as shown in thecross-sectional view of FIG. 4B. In embodiments, the spacer material 50can be any low-k dielectric material such as, e.g., SiN, SiBCN, SiOCN,carbon containing nitride, etc. The spacer material 50 can be depositedusing a conventional CVD process, and can have equal spacer thicknessfor trench epitaxial structures as described herein.

Still referring to FIGS. 4A and 4B, an interlevel dielectric material 55is deposited on the spacer material 50. In embodiments, the interleveldielectric material 55 can be a middle of the line (MOL) oxide or otherlow-k dielectric material. The interlevel dielectric material 55 can bedeposited using a conventional CVD process. The materials, e.g., spacermaterial 50 and interlevel dielectric material 55, can then undergo aplanarization process such as a CMP process, which will expose thecapping material 40 (formed on a surface of the capping layer 30).

As shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, a mask 60 is formed on the NFET side 15 ofthe structure. The mask 60 can be a nitride material 60, which ispatterned using conventional lithography and etching (RIE) processes. Onthe PFET side 15′ of the structure, the sacrificial material is removedbetween the gate structures 25, forming trenches 65. The cappingmaterial 40 can also be removed from the surface of the fin structure,e.g., over the gate dielectric material 20 of the PFET side 15′. Thecapping material 40 can be removed by an isotropic etching process,selective to the material of the capping material 40. An epitaxialmaterial 70 is grown in the trenches 65, between the gate structures 25.In embodiments, the epitaxial material 70 is a PFET material used toform raised source and drain regions, e.g., boron. As shown in FIG. 5B,for example, the spacer material 50 will prevent epitaxial overgrowthfrom wrapping around the gate structures 25 and shorting source to drainregions between the PFET and NFET devices, even with narrow fin to finspacing in SRAM and other devices.

In embodiments, the epitaxial material 70 can be doped, e.g., borondoped, or, in optional embodiments, the epitaxial material 70 can beundoped in which case an ion implantation process well known to those ofordinary skill in the art would be performed on the epitaxial grownmaterial. In embodiments, the epitaxial material can be Si or compoundsthereof, e.g., SiGe.

In FIG. 6, the trenches 65 can be filled with a capping material 55′. Inembodiments, the capping material 55′ should be a different materialthan that of the sacrificial fill material 45. In this way, the cappingmaterial 55′ will protect the epitaxial material 70 during a subsequentetching process of the sacrificial fill material 45 on the NFET side 15of the structure. In embodiments, the spacer 35 can undergo an etchingafter removing the sacrificial fill material 45. In embodiments, thecapping material 55′ will also allow a subsequent etching or removal ofthe sacrificial fill material 45 without the need for any additionallithography process, e.g., depositing and patterning of a resistmaterial. The etching process of the sacrificial fill material 45 on theNFET side 15 of the structure will form trenches 65′.

In embodiments, the capping material 55′ can be formed by a blanketdeposition of material, e.g., using a CVD process. The capping material55′ can be nitride, oxide or a-Si or other material that is differentthan the sacrificial fill material 45. For example, if the sacrificialfill material 45 is a-Si, then the capping material 55′ should be anoxide or nitride, as an example. A CMP process will follow thedeposition of the capping material 55′. As with other CMP processesdescribed herein, the CMP process will planarize the capping material55′ and expose surfaces of the capping material 40 deposited on theupper surface of the capping layer 30 on the gate structures 25.Following the CMP process, an etching process (e.g., RIE) if performedto form the trenches 65′ on the NFET side 15 of the structure.

As shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B, similar to the PFET side of the structure,the capping material 40 can be removed from the surface of the finstructure, e.g., over the gate dielectric material 20 of the NFET side15. The capping material 40 can be removed by an isotropic etchingprocess, selective to the material of the capping material 40. Anepitaxial material 70′ is grown in the trenches 65′, between the gatestructures 25. In embodiments, the epitaxial material 70′ is an NFETmaterial used to form raised source and drain regions, e.g., arsenic. Asshown in FIG. 7B, for example, the spacer material 50 will preventepitaxial overgrowth from wrapping around the gate structures 25 andshorting source to drain regions between the PFET and NFET devices, evenwith narrow fin to fin spacing in SRAM and other devices.

In embodiments, the epitaxial material 70′ can be doped, e.g., arsenicdoped or phosphorous, or, in optional embodiments, the epitaxialmaterial 70′ can be undoped in which case an ion implantation processwell known to those of ordinary skill in the art would be performed onthe epitaxial grown material. In embodiments, the epitaxial material canbe Si or compounds thereof, e.g., SiP or SiCP.

Still referring to FIGS. 7A and 7B, the trenches 65′ can be filled withthe capping material 55′. In embodiments, the capping material 55′ willprotect the epitaxial material 70′ during subsequent processing steps.The capping material 55′ can be formed by a blanket deposition ofmaterial, e.g., using a CVD process. The capping material 55′ can benitride, oxide or a-Si or other material as described herein. Thecapping material 55′ can also represent or define a predefined trenchstructure (TS) area between the source and drain regions of the NFET 15and the PFET 15′, bounded or defined by the spacer material 50. Thispredefined area will confine the epitaxially grown source and drainregions of the NFET 15 and PFET 15′, hence ensuring that the source anddrain regions of the NFET 15 and PFET 15′ will not wrap around the gateand short due to narrow fin to fin spacing.

A CMP process will follow the deposition of the capping material 55′. Aswith other CMP processes described herein, the CMP process willplanarize the capping material 55′ and expose surfaces of the cappingmaterial 40 deposited on the upper surface of the capping layer 30 onthe gate structures 25.

It should be recognized by those of skill in the art that the presentinvention also contemplates the formation of epitaxial grownsource/drain regions on the NFET side, prior to the PFET side. This canbe accomplished by simply reversing the order of the of the stepsdescribed herein, starting with FIGS. 5A and 5B. Accordingly, thepresent invention should not be limited to the order of processing stepsdescribed above.

The method(s) as described above is used in the fabrication ofintegrated circuit chips. The resulting integrated circuit chips can bedistributed by the fabricator in raw wafer form (that is, as a singlewafer that has multiple unpackaged chips), as a bare die, or in apackaged form. In the latter case the chip is mounted in a single chippackage (such as a plastic carrier, with leads that are affixed to amotherboard or other higher level carrier) or in a multichip package(such as a ceramic carrier that has either or both surfaceinterconnections or buried interconnections). In any case the chip isthen integrated with other chips, discrete circuit elements, and/orother signal processing devices as part of either (a) an intermediateproduct, such as a motherboard, or (b) an end product. The end productcan be any product that includes integrated circuit chips, ranging fromtoys and other low-end applications to advanced computer products havinga display, a keyboard or other input device, and a central processor.

The descriptions of the various embodiments of the present inventionhave been presented for purposes of illustration, but are not intendedto be exhaustive or limited to the embodiments disclosed. Manymodifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skillin the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the describedembodiments. The terminology used herein was chosen to best explain theprinciples of the embodiments, the practical application or technicalimprovement over technologies found in the marketplace, or to enableothers of ordinary skill in the art to understand the embodimentsdisclosed herein.

What is claimed:
 1. A method, comprising: forming a source and drainmaterial about a plurality of first-type gate structures, confinedwithin an area defined by a single spacer material; and forming thesource and drain material about a plurality of second-type gatestructures, confined within the area defined by the single spacermaterial which separates the plurality of first-type of gate structuresfrom the plurality of second-type of gate structures.
 2. The method ofclaim 1, further comprising: forming additional spacer material onsidewalls of the first-type gate structures and the second-type gatestructures and over a first capping layer; and forming the single spacermaterial on a second capping layer in source and drain regions betweenthe first-type gate structures and the second-type gate structures. 3.The method of claim 2, wherein the single spacer material is a low-kdielectric material which defines trench structures for the source anddrain material for the first-type gate structures and the second-typegate structures.
 4. The method of claim 2, wherein the additional spacermaterial is nitride or oxide material.
 5. The method of claim 2, whereinthe forming source and drain material about the first-type gatestructures and the second-type gate structures is an epitaxial growthprocess.
 6. The method of claim 5, wherein the forming source and drainmaterial about the first-type gate structures is formed while blockinggrowth of material about the second-type gate structures.
 7. The methodof claim 6, further comprising etching a mask over the first-type gatestructures to expose the source and drain regions associated with thefirst-type gate structures, while protecting the source and drainregions of the second-type gate structures.
 8. The method of claim 7,wherein the first-type gate structures are p-type devices and thesecond-type gate structures are n-type devices.
 9. The method of claim5, wherein the forming source and drain material about the second-typegate structures is formed while a mask blocks growth about thefirst-type gate structures.
 10. The method of claim 9, furthercomprising etching the mask over the second-type gate structures toexpose the source and drain regions associated with the second-type gatestructures, which is different than material deposited on the source anddrain regions of the first-type gate structures after formation of thesource and drain regions for the first-type gate structures.
 11. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the first-type gate structures are p-typedevices and the second-type gate structures are n-type devices.
 12. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the first-type gate structures are p-typefinFET devices and the second-type gate structures are n-type finFETdevices.
 13. The method of claim 1, further comprising: forming a firstcapping layer on the plurality of first-type gate structures and theplurality of second-type gate structures; forming a first spacermaterial on sidewalls of the plurality of first-type gate structures andthe plurality of second-type gate structures and over the first cappinglayer; forming a second capping layer on the first spacer material; andforming the single spacer material on the second capping layer betweenthe plurality of first-type gate structures and the plurality ofsecond-type gate structures.
 14. The method of claim 13, wherein thesingle spacer material defines trench structures for the source anddrain material for the plurality of first-type gate structures and theplurality of second-type gate structures.
 15. The method of claim 14,wherein the growing the source and drain material about the first-typegate structures is formed while blocking growth of the source and drainmaterial about the second-type gate structures.
 16. The method of claim1, wherein the forming of the single spacer material is on a single sideof two gate structures of the plurality of first-type gate structuresand on a single side of two gate structures of the plurality of thesecond-type gate structures.
 17. The method of claim 16, wherein the twogate structures of the plurality of first-type gate structures areadjacent to respective ones of the two gate structures of the pluralityof the second-type gate structures.